Sad, superficial app takes dating to skin deep level

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Many high school and college students have probably played games where they decide if someone was a person they would marry, sleep with or toss aside and it seems that technology has caught up.

Tinder, an application available on iPhones, allows users to swipe through photos of local singles and either like or dislike the person based only on their photo and perhaps a few very scant details. If both individuals like one another’s photos they then can message each other.

On the surface, many people’s first reaction is no doubt shock at such an application and the implications of shallowness it thrives on.

Let’s just get honest for a moment though. This is nothing new if one really thinks about it, when viewing our society as a whole.

Beauty pageants for the young and old, movies full of only the perceived prettiest people, shows where people undergo makeovers just to look better and slews of dating shows that are called reality but again are full of only what society considers the prettiest people. Those are just the tip of the iceberg, really.

No matter how much it’s fought or denied our society is based upon the looks of others and that “good” looks will get you further in life.

That being said this app should not be ignored or celebrated just because of the ingrained ideals of beauty in our society.

In a world that is turning more and more to technology to satisfy its needs, the idea that people will use their phones to decide if they should even bother to speak to someone just based on whether their looks are up to a perceived par is disturbing on various levels.

While I don’t consider myself an unattractive person, I’m quite average in my looks and would never be considered what Hollywood or most of society considers really handsome or attractive.

I’m quite alright with that fact, believe it or not. I am me and I’m happy with the person I see in the mirror. There are many others out there, though that are not as okay with themselves because of superficial decision making that Tinder helps perpetuate.

The saddest fact is that there is no real disguise to the fact that Tinder is all about looks. In fact, they even removed the X that one pressed before dislike and now allow users to just flick the picture of a person aside if they are not attracted to them, as if they are nothing at all to dismiss.

While Tinder might seem like a harmless game and be seen as just akin to something like HotorNot.com, it is just another piece of tinder added to the already roaring fire that is consuming our society piece by piece as we become so enamored by looks that nothing else matters.

Maybe if I swipe my screen, I can forget I learned about this app and find something more attractive to read about.